This is my Faerietale
by alfakyn-elf
Summary: A high school girl is trying to figure out her place in the world. She's just trying to fit in. She has a best friend and an amazing boyfriend. However, on midsummer's eve, her life changes forever and she is whisked away. Can she stop the evil?
1. Chapter 1

**AN: So hi guys! I wasn't sure if I could post this on here, but I figured it would be okay? Idk. I'm not giving up on **_**Ganga Fram **_**because this is my original piece and it's finished, but I thought I would post it up here so that you guys could tell me how I do with my own characters and stuff. :) **

"So guess where Killian is going this weekend?" I slammed my locker shut and turned to Zo. She threw me the are-you-kidding-me look, her brow furrowed together in puzzlement. Zo was my best friend. Her natural blond hair tumbled down to the middle of her back and she housed more neon colors in that head of hers than anyone I knew. Her mouth was usually on constant babble mode, but today she was being oddly quiet.

"He's playing again and he still isn't letting you see him sing?" Zo's confused expression just made me angry. My boyfriend, Killian, played in a band every couple of weekends at a pub behind the woods on my land, and not once had I seen him play. He was singing at the pub again this weekend, and had failed to tell me until today. People chatted animatedly around me, but their words drifted in one ear and out the other. It was as if Zo and I were in our own bubble and the world around us seemed unreal when I didn't focus on it.

"I just don't understand why I'm not allowed to go." I headed towards our algebra class slowly. People openly complained when they had to walk around us, but I simply ignored them. I did not want to be early to math and be classified as the class pet or a nerd. Plus, our school was easily maneuverable and we'd be able to get there quickly if the need arose.

Now I think about it, Killian was always making up excuses to keep me from seeing him play. No matter how much I whined and complained he just simply refused to let me see him perform.

"The people there get a little too drunk and it's too dangerous for you," was his famous response. It didn't make sense to me; I could handle a couple of drunks. However, when I brought that up to him, he made me feel foolish when he laughed and explained it wasn't the kind of drunk I was used to. I didn't understand what he meant, but he refused to give me a straight answer. The only reason I wanted to go, besides listening to my boyfriend use his mouth in a different way other than kissing me, was to make sure all the girls were keeping their filthy paws off him. Killian was the type of guy that would make you stop in your tracks and have you drooling to your toes by just mere glance. If it wasn't his thick shoulder length, naturally straight black hair that fringed over his left eye or his luminous emerald eyes, it was that accent of his. He was full Irish. Born and raised in Dublin, only to move to the United States of America when he was twelve.

"Hello? Earth to Alea. Stop daydreaming! We're going to be late for algebra," Zo complained as she knocked her knuckles against my skull. I shook my head and forced myself back into the present. I had stopped walking right in the middle of the hallway and people were muttering and I even got shoved a couple times as they had to maneuver around us. I could hear the warning bell in the intercom across the hallway. Students increased their walking to sprinting. Tardiness wasn't tolerated at Bangor High.

I sighed and grabbed Zo's arm to stop her from hitting me, and hurried towards Algebra. I could lose myself in my thoughts once class started. I always zoned out in there anyway. I had given up on math; it was my worst subject, and no amount of tutoring from Zo was going to change that.

We made it just before the bell rang.

"Cutting it a little close, as usual," Mr. Greene said with a bored expression. He waved his pudgy hand to tell us to get seated. None of us understood why Mr. Greene taught; he absolutely hated kids after his son ruined his marriage by his birth. It was a rather terrible story, and our feelings for Mr. Greene were mutual.

I quickly took the seat in the back; it was an easy place to slack off and daydream. Zo, of course, took a seat at the front. She was an overachiever. My B's and C's paled in comparison to Zo's straight A's. We had just finished finals; today was our last real day of school.

Mr. Greene started lecturing about being safe during our summer vacation, rubbing his thinning sandy hair every few moments. The moment he started talking was the moment it was my cue to zone out.

I thought back to last year as a sophomore. Killian was part of our group, like cliques work. Our high school was just like any other school. It had the jocks, preps, nerds, and emos. You name it; we had it. Killian, Zo and I were of the latter. What made us different from Killian though; he was extremely popular at our school. Yes he stereotypically emo, but they sure didn't treat him like they treated Zo and me. The only reasoning behind that, at least it was my best guess, is because he was hot and the fact that he's foreign makes him a shiny new toy for high school kids, especially the girl's attending here.

That was why it had surprised me when he asked me to be his girlfriend. I had figured he would have fallen for one of the cheerleaders or something. Marie and him had been hanging out a lot when he first moved here and we hadn't talked at all besides introductions one day in the hallway when I bumped shoulders with him.

I just wanted the teasing and rude comments to stop, so I had said yes, thinking it would make me popular too. That, and part of the acceptance was the fact that I had liked Killian for a while, but was too cowardly to do anything about it.

I was wrong, of course. It just made things worse. People got jealous. The girls had hated me because I was his. The guys because I was his undivided attention, apart from his so called band that I had never seen played. Apparently the other guys in his band weren't from around here, so I couldn't meet them, which angered me. "Sweetheart, there are some things that you're better off staying away from." And then he would peck my lips and ignore any further questioning.

I flinched when the bell rang, and the people sitting around me stared for a moment before shaking their heads and packing up their stuff. People at school thought I was going off my rocker, because of my care-free behavior around my friends outside the classroom.

Zo was waiting impatiently for me at her seat, and I hastily pushed loose doodle paper into my binder. That class had passed by so quickly. With a jolt I realized my junior year was over. Algebra was my last class of the day. I scooped up my stuff with renewed excitement and met Zo at the class door.

"You girls have a nice summer now," Mr. Greene called out; he knew we weren't coming tomorrow. All the teachers knew half the student population would suddenly come up with the "flu" to avoid the last day, because, well, it was pointless to come.

"You have a nice one too, Mr. Greene!" Zo waved to Mr. Greene and I just rolled my eyes and pulled her out of the classroom before Zo and Mr. Greene discussed math equations. She was such a suck up when it came to teachers and grades.

"Where do you suppose Killian is?" I asked Zo, craning my neck to attempt to catch a glance at the gorgeous head of his over the mass of students. I was completely failing at spotting him. I was way too short to see over the mass of taller teenagers who shot up like weeds over the school year. There were also some that were jumping and yelling and being teenagers. Some of the teachers were trying to keep some of the more troublesome kids from causing trouble, and I rushed towards the front of the building with Zo at my heel. I did not want to waste any time in this school than I had to.

"Probably at your car, where he meets you every day after school," Zo replied with an unexplainable tone to her voice. I shoved her playfully and then look horrified when I pushed her into one of the cheerleaders, Alison.

"Watch it, bitch!" Alison was the stereotypical cheerleader; blond hair, blue eyes, long legs and no brains. It was a wonder why guys like them. Then I remembered; she had fake boobs the size of basketballs and no sort of personal space. I curled my fingers into fists and started to retort, when Zo pushed me forward.

"Why did you do that?" I grumbled, annoyed with the fact that I didn't get to punch Alison in those stupidly straight teeth of hers. She was a rude and needed to be put into place. No wonder girls like her got away with being bullies and thinking they were better than everyone else; No one stood up to them. She flipped her hair over her shoulder and made a point to laugh unnecessarily loud. Her group joined her and made very rude comments. The only one I caught was, "Why don't you go home and cut yourself, little emo girl?" I wanted so badly to rip myself from Zo's grip and unleash my fury on the whole lot of them, but Zo kept me in place while I simmered in silence.

"You didn't need to get all bloodied up. You know how Killian feels about you fighting," Zo stated, and I fumed in silence, allowing my feet to take me to the front of the school. It was true, for some reason Killian told me that he did not like fighting in any shape or form, unless the need was absolutely necessary. I didn't understand it at all. From what I knew about the Irish, drinking and fighting was an everyday thing. I massaged my temples and sighed. That boy continued to astonish me. Zo let go of my arm as soon as we stepped outside and I had calmed down a bit.

"Hey," said a deep voice in my ear. It was that voice that always managed to send chills down my back. Killian's strong arms wrapped around my waist, and I leaned back into him, a sigh of contentment seeping through my lips. There was just something about Killian that made all the hate and anger disappear. The incident with Alison seemed to evaporate.

Zo rolled her eyes as I turned myself around to get a kiss from Killian. He didn't complain. When our lips crashed together we were in our own little world, literally. Every time I closed my eyes when I kissed him we were taken to a small meadow: Wildflowers of all different colors swayed in the wind, their magical scent filled my nostrils with nature, dragonflies would fly around our heads, filling my ears with a pleasant buzzing sound. It was better than any 'spark' that Zo described when she had kissed any one of her ex's.

I laughed when I pulled out of the kiss. Killian had the dumbest grin on his face. "What are you smiling about?" I asked, leaning my head against his chest and realizing I probably had the same smile plastered on my lips.

"Can we not just stand here? I got to get home to Ryan and Cole." Zo interrupted before Killian could reply, and I nodded. Ryan and Cole were Zo's little brothers. Lacing my fingers together with Killian's, I pulled him towards my car. When Killian first came here, he would walk every morning and afternoon home. I tried insisting on taking him to school, but he would take one look of disgust at my '52 Ford truck and shake his head, then start walking again. I finally gave up after trying so many times, but I was hoping today he would be a little more lenient.

"No, Al." He said suddenly, using my nickname he gave me. "I can't," he murmured, looking down at me with those bright green eyes of his.

"Why? It's just a car," I complained, poking out my lower lip in a pout. I don't know why I kept trying, honestly. He always somehow beats me home. I pulled my fingers out of his, in an attempt to guilt trip him, but it didn't work. It never did. He just raised an eyebrow and laughed. A couple birds in the nearby tree chattered when he laughed, and then landed on his shoulder. I stomped my foot in frustration. "And why do those damn birds always land on you?" He absentmindedly patted one of the birds on the head with his thumb.

"I have no idea. I think it's an Irish thing. That or I'm just really good with animals," he replied, and then pecked me on the lips.

"And let's just say that I'm afraid I'll puke from your driving." He teased, and I narrowed my eyes in irritation. I wasn't that bad of a driver, was I? Maybe he wasn't telling me everything. Killian was all about his secrets, and he was very stubborn when it came to keeping them.

He suddenly realized he must have said something wrong, and he rubbed the nape of his neck. "Listen, there's something in cars I'm allergic to. It's a rare allergy; I'm doing my limit by just standing next to them, even with the medicine I have that keeps the allergy at bay."

The parking lot was nearly empty now, and Zo had completely given up on trying getting me to hurry along, so she had gotten in my car and sat there, her arms folded across her chest in a pouting position. I chuckled at her noticeably concealed grin and then turned back to Killian. "Okay, fine. Meet you at my house? I have to talk to you." I shot a stern look at him, and he mocked horror. It just made him look hotter than he already was which wasn't fair.

"Anything for you, love." He planted a kiss on the back of my hand and then shoved his fists in his pockets, whistling a tune as he strolled down the sidewalk, in the direction of my house. I watched him till he rounded the corner, out of sight, and then pulled my door open and climbed inside.

"Took you long enough," Zo complained, pushing a loose lock of bright pink hair behind her ear and sitting up straighter. "I swear you guys don't hear anyone else when you're together." I could feel her studying me, but I just put my keys in the ignition and started the car. I put my seatbelt on and Zo did the same, and then I backed out and got on the road before I spoke.

"Sorry, I hadn't seen him since yesterday. I guess I missed him." I glanced over at her and smiled innocently, and she just puffed her cheeks out at me. "You sicken me," she joked, mimicking a gagging motion. A couple cars laid on their horn when I cut them off, but I paid them no mind. Maybe Killian was right and my driving needed some improvement. Oh well.

"That and you just love showing him off," she added, and I couldn't say anything. I couldn't argue with the truth.

We were silent for the rest of the ride, and to avoid awkward silences, I played my Eminem CD. I lived out in the more rural part of Bangor, Maine, where there was more of an open area, with fields and forests. My dad never told me why we lived so far out of town, just that my mother had loved it out here. My mom had disappeared when I was six. From what my dad has told me, she was out watering the garden we have in our back yard one afternoon when she heard beautiful music playing in the forest. I had heard the music too, so I never doubted him. The sound was unexplainable and could not compare to any music in our world; it was so magical and pure that I knew I would remember what it sounded like for the rest of my life.

Apparently, my mom had thrown all her gardening stuff down in a hurry and picked me up, despite the fact that I told her I wanted to go see where the music was coming from. I remember the tears streaming down my face for no reason, but I had been giggling up a storm. She had ignored me and carried me inside, kissed my forehead, and then left. She promised me she would back for me when I was old enough and ready. I waited for her all night; I didn't even sleep when dad had put me down to bed. When the music stopped around midnight, I knew she was gone forever. I cried myself to sleep, and I never saw her again after that. Dad didn't ever mourn; he claimed she would return to us one day. Some days he would sit outside on the bench with her garden and stare at the opening in the woods where she disappeared, as if he stared long enough she would appear from the very place he disappeared.

It took about thirty minutes to get to my house; Zo would have come over but she had to babysit Ryan and Cole so I had to drop her off at home. That caused me to take a detour of about ten minutes so I could take her home. When I got to my house, Killian was sitting on the front porch, waiting for me.

I shook my head, not understanding how he could always get here before me when I had the car and he was just walking. I swear he had a car hidden somewhere or at least a bike. I didn't believe his allergy bullshit.

I pulled up the gravel driveway and parked my car. We owned farmland that was surrounded by forest and our home was made completely of stone, so that it would prevent fire from licking it clean with its fiery tongue. Most of the house was covered in glass windows; my mom liked to live as close to the outdoors as she could, and when she left we never changed it, even though my dad doesn't like it all that much. It was too open for him and he felt like he had no privacy. However, he continued to live on the fact that my mom would be returning and so we kept it the same. The fact he was never home also contributed to it.

The only farm animal we owned was my six year old horse, Elvina, along with a couple other horses. But those were my dad's. My horse was a beautiful black Missouri Fox Trotter.

Elvina snorted excitedly when I walked by. I patted her lovingly on the nose. "You're a good girl. I'll come see you later," I promised her, and she whinnied. I took that as an 'okay' and walked up to the porch. Killian was sitting on the porch swing, watching me intently. I took a deep breath; he would try to get out of talking with me about tonight, but I wouldn't let him. I would be the stubborn one this time. I slumped my shoulders, already defeated. Who was I kidding? I couldn't resist his charming smile and I knew by the end of the talk he would have talked me out of anything.

I squared my shoulders and trudged over to him. He scooted over a little so I could sit next to him, and I snuggled into his side. I didn't have to worry about Dad coming out and being disapproving; he was a firefighter and was at work right now. Kids tend to get a little wild with fire on the first few days of summer around here, so the fire department had a lot of the firefighters stay at the station, just in case.

"Alea, I-" Killian tried to start talking, but I cut him off. If he started to talk, I would never get a chance to. Killian liked to get his word in before I could, and usually his stubbornness left me despairing to get him to listen unsuccessfully. Elvina grazed next to the house, and her presence comforted me.

"No. Killian, when will I ever get to see you play? I don't think it's fair that everyone else in the school can go see you play, but I can't. I'm your girlfriend, I should be allowed backstage, if anything." I took a deep breath and would have continued talking, except Killian placed the palm of his hand over my mouth.

There were a lot of butterflies out today, and many of them took a liking to sitting on Killian's head and shoulders. He ignored them, so I stayed silent, even though it frightened me a little. He knew they were there, he just chose to let them do what they wanted. I would never understand how Killian was so in tune with nature. It must be Irish thing.


	2. Chapter 2

"Al, here's the thing. I'm…" he paused for a moment. He seemed nervous. He was never nervous. He seemed to lose nerve for a moment, because he turned his head and the butterflies took flight, disappearing around the house. "I'm afraid you won't like the type of music I play. Plus, none of the kids at school show up anyway. I just don't want to disappoint you." He looked at me with a pleading look in his eye, as if he just wanted me to let the subject drop.

I sighed. I would, for now. So much for being stubborn like I had originally planned.

As he relaxed beside me and I could feel his tensed muscles relax. He pushed his feet against the floor to get the swing moving again, and wrapped his fingers around my chin. My stomach started fluttering like butterflies as I turned my head willingly. The kiss was tender and sweet, and just the right length. It left me in the meadow for a full minute this time. He pulled away and my face was flushed and my eyes were glittery and happy.

"I love you," Killian said, and my heart soared. He seemed edgy, and suddenly I was at a loss for words. Killian O'Connell told me he loved me! No one had ever told me that before…then again, I haven't had any serious relationships. I shook my head, realizing I had left Killian waiting for my response for a few moments now, and he started to say, "Look, if you don't-"

I cut him off by pressing my index finger to his lips, and he quieted. I took a deep breath and grinned, "I love you too." I pressed my forehead to his and gazed into his eyes, allowing myself to soak in this moment exactly so that I would never forget: I wanted to remember the wind that was blowing through the trees, making the leaves whistle their own unique tune. I wanted to remember our synchronized heart beats and the way Killian's hair was all ruffled up. Birds sung in happiness, butterflies and dragonflies whirred around our heads, and I grinned widely. "Nature seems to approve of those words," I pointed out, and then giggled.

Killian returned the laugh, if not a bit anxiously. He sat up and rubbed the nape of his neck, staring out at the woods with his head tilted to the side. "I'm going to fix you some dinner and then I better head off. The show starts at dusk." He seemed reluctant to bring up his show, but I ignored him and nodded. I would cut him some slack considering he just told me he loved me.

"Sounds good." I stood up and stretched. I had been sitting curled up on the swing, and my legs were cramping up. Nature continued to sing as we headed inside, where I saw my dad sitting on the couch, failing at looking like he had been reading the paper the whole time we were outside.

"Dad? What are you doing home?" I asked, as my suspicion and curiosity spiked.

"Love, I'm going to go start dinner. Have a nice chat with your dad." He kissed me on the cheek and let go of my hand, waving hello to my father and hiking to the kitchen. I listened to him gathering pots and pans from the cabinets and then plopped down next to my dad.

Dad was very young, only about thirty; my mom got pregnant with me extremely young. I think she was sixteen when she had me. My dad was born Jason Barr, in a small town in Kansas. He wasn't even starting too bald. In fact, he wore his rusty blond hair long and pulled it back into a ponytail. He had muscles from the many hours he spent at the gym so that he could be strong enough for work, and he was tall.

He fingered his chin, which was scruffy and needed a shave, and then looked at me. "You guys sound pretty serious," he said, and I groaned. I really didn't want to talk boys with him, especially with Killian in the next room. "Just be careful, alright? I don't want you to end up like me." His eyes shrouded over and I glared at him. I didn't like when he talked like that.

"Dad, don't worry. Mom didn't leave. She was kidnapped, remember?" We had told that to each other ever since Mom disappeared, so that we didn't have to face the fact that she died or left us. The sizzling sound of bacon against a pan was heard from the kitchen, and I inhaled the fumes excitedly. I loved having breakfast for dinner. Especially when there was bacon involved. I loved bacon.

"I know. I just don't want you getting hurt." He stared at me for a moment, my azure eyes reflected in his, and then nodded. "Anyway, I thought you should know I didn't have to go into work early today. They said it would be slow until tonight, since summer started and kids will be having bonfires and such." He looked at his watch and kissed me on the forehead. "It's about time I leave though. Bye kiddo." He ruffled my hair up and stood. He waved at Killian as he passed the kitchen and then disappeared outside.

I sat there for a few moments, memories of my mother lingered, making me emotional momentarily before I got up too. I passed the mirror as I made my way to the kitchen, and did some serious criticism of myself. I didn't understand why Killian liked me, let alone loved me; I was a plain girl. My natural black hair was cut to about my shoulders with extreme layers, and my crystal blue eyes never got any attention from the boys before. I was shorter than a lot of my friends, and my boobs weren't all that big. I sighed and shrugged my shoulders; life was weird sometimes. You had to learn to accept it or get stuck in self-absorbency.

"Alea? Love, dinner is ready." Killian's head popped around the corner and I jumped; I probably looked like an idiot, staring at myself in the mirror like that. Blood rushed to my cheeks and I beamed.

Killian looked at me suspiciously. "What?"

I shrugged my shoulders innocently and skipped past him into the kitchen where the table for eating was nestled in the corner next to a glass window that took up the space of the whole wall. The woods were seen from that window. It had been mom's favorite place to sit, when she was here. I sat down and started drooling when Killian put a plate with waffles, bacon, sausage, and all the fruit from our little garden nestled out on it. He sat across from me, with everything on his plate minus the sausage, waffles and bacon. Killian was strictly vegan, and when I asked him why, he just said, "I'm in tune with nature, remember?"

While I dug in, Killian picked at his fruit and watched me shovel in the food. "What happened with your mum?" He asked suddenly, and I nearly choked on a strawberry. I stayed quiet for a moment, but Killian didn't apologize or anything, just stared at me with those captivating eyes of his.

I wasn't sure what to tell him; I didn't like talking about my mother. Even though I was so young, I still remembered what she looked like perfectly: Like me, she had naturally black hair, except hers was like the night sky and grown down to her waist. I don't remember her ever getting a haircut. Not once. She was tall, but not as tall as dad, and she loved to wear green. She never wore cotton or anything, and like Killian, she was a vegan. Animals from all around would arrive just to be near her. One time when I was three a lone wolf came out of the woods and nuzzled into my mother. I remember the rough and soft feeling the fur had when I touched it. I loved her so much, and then she disappeared.

I didn't realize I was crying until Killian's finger touched my cheek. His finger trapped the tear and he held it in front of my face until I sighed unsteadily and started to speak. "Mom was different. She hated being indoors, and she only ate fruit, like you. Somehow she stayed healthy from it, even though we need protein and iron and such." I took a shuddery breath and closed my eyes. Killian and the rest of the kitchen disappeared. "She would talk to the animals, whenever they came near her, and they would listen."

Killian's interest instantly spiked, and I stared at him weirdly, but he just waved his hand for me to go on. Alright then…that was a little strange. The sun was starting to go down, and Killian looked outside worryingly.

"You need to be at your show, not listening to me ramble on about my mother." I said, slightly hoping that he would leave. I _really_ didn't want to talk about my mom.

He sighed and stood. "I'm sorry. I need you to finish this story, so I'll come back tomorrow." I had gotten up after he did, and he wrapped me up in a hug. One thing I learned about Killian is he doesn't show affection very often. Well, he does, but it's usually just a kiss or hug. We have only made out three or four times in our two year relationship and sex hasn't happened. I wasn't sure why he wouldn't have sex, and he wouldn't answer me whenever I brought it up.

"Yeah, dad's at work all day, so we could go hiking in the woods or something." I muttered, shrugging my shoulders loosely. I haven't hiked in the woods all year; for some reason, they seemed weirdly inhabited and I didn't know what was keeping my usual curiosity at bay, but I stayed out of those woods.

"NO! I mean, no. I don't have the proper stuff to go through the woods." He avoided my eyes when he snapped at me, and before I could ask him, he distracted me by crashing his lips into mine. My world exploded in the scents of blueberries and strawberries. We didn't even return to the meadow. There was a magical feeling to this kiss, and as it got deeper, the feeling grew. I wound my hands through his hair and pushed him against the counter, taking the kiss to a whole new level. Laughter and singing reached my ears, but I ignored it.

Killian was having just as much fun as I was, which surprised me, but I didn't dwell too much on it; I was going to enjoy this. I rarely ever got a make out session out of him, and when I did, wonderful things happened to my feelings and thoughts. My fingers wandered aimlessly through his hair, when they stopped on his ears. I pulled out of the kiss when my stomach lurched uncomfortably. "Why are they pointy?" I asked, feeling the tips of his ears. Why were they pointy? Was he one of those weirdo's that got his ears surgically done so his ears were like elves? What the hell was going on?

"Alea Raye, I don't know what you're talking about." He grabbed both of my hands and held them against his chest, but I pulled away from his grip; that tone and the fact he used my full name proved that he was nervous.

"Your ears are pointed at the top." I pulled away from his grip and folded my arms across my chest. He wasn't going to start lying, or I would get pissed. I should just kick him out now, before he gets his guilt trip thing going. He growled slightly under his breath and my eyes narrowed, before he reached for me. "Feel."

His hand led mine over the tips of his ears and they were, wait… They were round? I shook my head. "I could have sworn…"

Killian shrugged his shoulders loosely. "Maybe it was the heat of the moment. I really should go." He started to push past me, but I grabbed his arm and pulled him into me. I nuzzled my face into his chest and sighed.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. I love you," I grumbled and he embraced me. It was still weird to say that. He was the first guy I've said it to, and I didn't want to overuse it in fear that he would get annoyed.

He pulled out of the hug and held me at arm's length, studying me carefully. Just as I started squirming uncomfortably he brought me back into the hug and kissed the top of my head. "You'll be okay." He seemed to be muttering to himself, and I could feel him shaking his head above mine. "I love you too," he replied, kissing my forehead this time and turning to leave.

"Wait! What are you talking about?" I asked. I was confused; I'll be okay? I didn't think I was in any sort of danger. Killian avoided looking at me straight in the eye, and he started leaving without answering me. "Wait!" I yelled, but he disappeared once he got outside. How did he do that?

I stood motionless at the open door, the wind whipping my hair around my face, and scoured the empty land for any sign of Killian. The land was barren; Elvina and our two other horses was grazing underneath the only tree in our field. Trees from the woods loomed down at me, as if they were glaring at me. However, there was no Killian. He just disappeared. I didn't understand. Shaking my head, I started to go back inside when I heard it.

I wanted to believe my ears were tricking me. I was simply not hearing that damned music again. I turned to the woods, my eyes wide with fright and longing. Several emotions passed through my being: Chills of anticipation traveled down my back, tears sprang up from my lids in sadness, my teeth chattered in unknown fear.

I heard flutes playing, and there was a mystical voice carrying over the land. It made the trees shiver and the birds to pick up in song. I would have thought it was Killian's band save for the fact that I had heard the same music eleven years ago. Killian moved here five years ago.

I longed to follow the music, but there was an unknown force holding me back, like there was a barrier I could not pass. I swayed at the steps for a couple of seconds, and then shook my head and disappeared back inside.

I wearily climbed the stairs to my bedroom, trying to ignore the music that took the person most dear from me as I headed to the last door on the left of the house. Portraits hung on either said of the hallways; my personal favorite hung on the left of my dad's bedroom door.

The picture showed that I was only two or three and my mother had me on her bare shoulders, and her little white sundress twirled around her body as we both had our heads thrown back, our eyes glittering with laughter and our grins splintering to our ears. My hair was brown then; that was before I dyed it black back when I was having a hard time in junior high.

I sighed and pressed my fingers to the frame, struggling to keep the tears from falling. I needed Killian right now, but he never answered his phone when he was performing.

I shuffled into my room, my head hung at the sudden sorrow that usually came during the night. I slammed my face into the pillow. My room was pretty modern, tan walls, mahogany dresser and bed set. There was a space over in the corner where there was a triangle shaped bench placed into the wall and humongous sized windows loomed over the room. Massive deep red curtains hid the moon when needed, but tonight was a new moon and it wasn't necessary.

I fell asleep fairly quickly, slipping into dreams of magic and otherworld music and creatures dancing around a fire and mushrooms formed in a perfect circle.

A loud clap woke me with a start, and I clutched the blanket tightly to my chest as my heart pattered wildly against my chest. Another loud clap, and that's when I realized that a roaring thunderstorm had brewed over the hours of the night. I sighed with relief and allowed my breathing to return to normal. I should probably be taking some sort of medication for my anxiety, but my dad couldn't afford it.

I swung my feet off the side of the bed and realized that I had fallen asleep in my school clothes. I took a peek at the clock on my bedside table and noticed that it was a little after three in the morning.

I stripped out of my white skinny jeans and peeled my shirt off my body, standing in my bra and panties. I shrugged, pulling a plain black tank over my head and not even bothering with pants. Dad would be at the station for three days.

I padded down the stairs to the kitchen; the dreams had left me thirsty. Killian had been in all of them, and no matter how many times I woke up, I still dreamt of a faerie court in some sort of woods, and Killian was singing a beautiful tune.

I shook my mind from thinking too hard on this; that simply was not possible. Faeries? Seriously, come on. Those things didn't exist, other than in ancient folklore.

I blindly searched for the fridge, because my eyes hadn't adjusted to the darkness yet. I managed to stub my toe, slam my face into the wall, and nearly trip over the throw rug before my fingers closed around the refrigerator's door handle.

A sudden chill rolled down my spine, and I shivered. I felt like I was being watched. I flashed my gaze over my shoulder, scanning the room, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. I seemed to be alone. I had made sure the doors were locked before I went to bed, so I felt a bit comforted by that thought.

I took a deep breath through my nose and turned my attention back to the fridge. I pulled out the orange juice and shut the fridge. Someone was standing behind the door of the fridge, and I screamed, dropping the orange juice and causing it to explode. It started to creep across the linoleum, and I searched frantically for a towel.

It seemed odd that I was more worried about the orange juice than whoever was in my home. I abruptly stopped searching for a towel and slowly turned my head to study the stranger.

He was extremely tall; I wasn't exaggerating, either. He had to be 6'7" at least. His piercing red eyes glowed in the dark, and I wanted to slap him the way he was looking at me. It looked like he was analyzing my very soul, and I could feel it. He wore his hair in a faux hawk; the auburn tips hung down over his forehead.

Something was weird about his smile, but I couldn't pin point exactly why it was creepy. Something about his teeth, I think. I couldn't be sure, though. That is, until I noticed his canine teeth were filed into points like a vampire's would look.

I blinked, and suddenly he wasn't there anymore. I looked around, confused, and bolted to the back door. It was locked.

I clutched my head, groaning, and wondered if I was somehow sleep walking and dreaming or something. I pinched myself. It hurt. I clapped my hands together, something I did to tell if I was dreaming or not, and a nice loud sound emitted from my palms. I decided I was awake and when I walked back over to the fridge, I rediscovered that I had dropped the orange juice.

After finding a towel and cleaning up the mess, I grabbed a glass of water and headed back up to my room, exhausted all over again. As I passed the front door I made sure it was locked too. The whole stranger in my house situation, whether it was real or not, scared me. I suddenly did NOT want to be alone.

I snatched my fully charged cell phone off the bedside table and dialed Killian's number, nibbling on my lip anxiously as my eyes darted to each corner every time a shadow moved.


	3. Chapter 3

He didn't answer, so I redialed. My eyes started to droop, and I yawned. When he still did not answer, I gave up and settled back down in bed. My clock read 3:42 AM, which surprised me. I didn't think I was downstairs all that long. The thunderstorm had reduced to a low rumble, and it lulled me back to sleep.

The next morning it was still raining outside, but I had to get up to feed and exercise Elvina, so I rolled out of bed and put some jeans, a long sleeve shirt, and boots on. No need to look pretty today; I wasn't impressing anyone.

I grabbed my raincoat from the downstairs closet under the stairs, and pulled it over my head. It was only drizzling, but I didn't want to get soaked.

Elvina galloped over to me, whinnying eagerly. I hadn't exercised her in probably a week; it was going to be a good time for the both of us. "Girl, down," I instructed, pointing downwards. I decided to be lazy and ride bareback. Elvina didn't mind, and neither did I; it was good to know how to ride both ways.

She did what she was told, and I clambered on her back, clutching her long mane. The only sounds I heard were the pattering of the rain against my raincoat and the swaying of the trees, which I was thankful for. No weird music for me today.

I took her around the field a couple times to warm her up, and then decided to trail the woods. There was a nice trail in our woods someone must have created a long time ago, because it was there when we moved in.

The tree cover blocked out most of the rain, so I let down my hood and took in the pretty scene. I always liked riding in the woods after a thunderstorm; everything was at its raw beauty.

The forest was alive and in its summer bloom. I don't know if it was because of the rain or what, but the trees seemed to loom higher above my head, and there were new flowers blooming around Elvina's feet. Roots jutted farther out of the ground, and water droplets pattered the ground as Elvina trotted down the trail.

Suddenly Elvina snorted and pawed the ground nervously, her ears pressing backwards against her skull. I tried patting her and soothing her, but something was seriously freaking her out.

I looked around, trying to find the source, but there was nothing out of the ordinary in sight. Suddenly a twig snapped and Elvina bolted.

The wind and branches whipped past my face, and Elvina didn't even seem to be watching where she was going; there was once or twice where the branches pricked my cheeks with their sharp fingers.

I pulled desperately at her mane, wishing at that very moment I had saddled her up and was gripping stirrups instead of a fistful of horse hair.

A searing pain slammed into my gut and I kneeled over, desperately trying to remain on my panicking horse. I wrapped my arms around her neck and clung onto her for dear life as she reared and screamed, her eyes rolling.

The pain in my gut intensified and I cried out as the most bizarre thing happened. I was being _tugged _away from Elvina, as if something had hold of me. I looked down and saw the most horrifying thing of my life.

A long and pulsating black tongue had wrapped itself around my midsection, and it had actually managed to tear the bottom half of my shirt from my body. Its saliva seemed to act as an acid, because my skin was sizzling away from the tongue as I was pulled closer and closer into the trees where the owner of the tongue awaited.

It was the most horrid looking creature I had ever seen in my life, and I feared that I was hallucinating. It had the body and head of a Doberman, but a set of human arms sprang out of its ribcage and clutched the tree branches above it, saving it from falling to the ground below. Its eyes were red and intelligent, and it stared down at me hungrily, its gleaming white teeth coming closer by the second. A foul odor reached my nostrils, and my body couldn't decide if it wanted to retch or pass out.

I didn't retch, but I sure passed out because when I came to, I was back in my living room on the couch. I sat straight up, beads of sweat pouring down my face, and I clutched my ribcage as the most intense pain caught fire to my internal organs. This was definitely worse than PMS.

The pain started to become unbearable, and tears sprang from my eyelids as I writhed and clutched the back of the couch. I felt like I was in labor. Killian had run in when he realized I was awake, and I could see that he had worried himself to death. His face was drawn and he looked like he hadn't slept in forever.

He pulled up my shirt, and I tried to tug it back down, afraid of what I would see underneath. However, Killian was much stronger than I was and he gave me a look that petrified me; it was a look of pure terror.

"Alea, I need you to let me help you." A wave of nausea clenched my stomach, and I retched all over the floor, tears streaming down my face as I did so. I nodded my head ever so slightly and allowed Killian to pull the shirt off of my head, leaving my leopard print bra for the world to see.

My skin was bubbling, and you could see my right hipbone. I was bleeding profusely from the wound, and I groaned in horror and shock. I felt the need to puke again, and this time there was blood that flowed from my mouth. Killian was screaming and pressing his hands to my midsection, muttering something unintelligible under his breath.

I must have passed out again, because the next thing I remember is its dark and I'm covered with a blanket. I shivered violently as I gathered my bearings, trying to figure out what happened. The last thing I remember was dinner last night, and the heated make out session Killian and I shared.

"Al? Are you awake?" Killian's voice echoed from the hallway and I grunted weakly, not able to speak just yet. I had just gotten back my memory of everything that had happened, except how I had gotten attacked.

He came into view, and his clothes were a wrinkled mess that hung loosely from his body. He appeared to have been running his hands repeatedly through his hair, because it was a mess. "How are you doing, love?" He asked, and I looked up at him, concern written all across my face.

"Can I have a glass of water?" I croaked, trying to get my voice back. My eyes drooped, and I realized how exhausted I was. "And please, don't leave me tonight…" I mumbled, relaxing into the couch and sighing. My midsection hurt, but it was tolerable.

"I won't leave you. Not tonight, not ever," Killian said sharply, and then kissed me gently on the forehead and headed into the kitchen for my glass of water.

I heard clinking of glasses and then the tap running before Killian returned with my glass of water. I sat up, grateful, and downed it all in a couple of seconds. I looked up at Killian, giving him puppy dog eyes, and he smiled softly at me. It was a smile I fell in love with every time he did it.

He sat down behind me, and I started to lay my head on his lap, but he stopped me by massaging my shoulders. He wasn't the best massager, but I was willing for anything right now. I growled contently and shut my eyes, allowing myself to relax finally in what seemed like ages.

"How did the gig go?" I asked, once I found my voice again and wanted to break the silence. I hated silence, and did whatever I could to keep someone talking. His hands disappeared from my back for a moment, and I heard him sigh, but before I could turn around and look at him he started working on my back again, and I nearly melted with how relaxed I was.

"It was good. Not as many people showed up as I expected, and the others were a bit disappointed, but oh well…" I knew Killian was shrugging his shoulders, trying to pass of as if he didn't care, but I knew him better. He was a sensitive guy, and that's what I loved about him.

"Awe, I'm sorry. Things are bound to get better. You haven't been doing them for very long." I turned around, catching his fingers and intertwining them with mine, laying them on my lap and careful to keep from irritating my stomach.

Killian smiled softly, as if he didn't believe me. I was about to retort but he cut me off. "Let's take a look of that stomach, eh?" He brushed his fingers against the blanket, asking me if he could take a look, and I nodded, brushing the covers from my shoulders.

I shivered, remembering that I had no shirt on, and I hesitated before looking down. Last time I looked at my stomach it was bubbling and nasty looking. However, it didn't hurt so bad anymore, so I gathered up the courage and forced my gaze downwards.

There was a shiny red scar wrapped around my body. When I traced its path with my stomach, it felt hard and bumpy, like scars do when they recently heal. Tears sprung from my eyes as I noticed the equally horrifying scar that looked like a bite mark shining against my hip bone.

"I'm ugly," I said, staring blankly up at Killian's face. "My body is ruined. How can you even want this? What even happened? I don't understand." I grabbed Killian by the chest of his shirt and shook him. "Why can't I remember what happened?" My head crashed into his chest and I sobbed. I sobbed until my heart couldn't take the crying anymore.

Killian comforted me and made cooing noises, rocking me back and forth as I sobbed and rubbing his palm up and down my back. Once I reduced to small whimpering noises and hiccups, he grasped my cheeks in both hands and gazed at me with the same loving eyes that he held when he first told me he loved me. "Sweetheart, you caught my eye ever since I moved here. All those other girls? Those retched, stinking, immature girls were never any match for you. You need to stop doubting yourself, Love. Because frankly, its rubbish to think that you're self esteem is so low. You're personality beats anyone in that high school by a long shot.

"This," he waves his hand over my body, "I would never have it any other way." He grinned an extremely cocky grin and kissed my forehead, then my nose, and then finally ever so gently my lips. I sighed, pleased, and pressed my face into his chest and he laid his chin on the top of my head, wrapping his arms more tightly around me.

"I will never let you go. I promise." He murmured, and then kissed the top of my forehead.

I fell asleep in his arms as he rocked me and sang me a lullaby. His voice sounded strangely familiar when he sang, but I was too tired to ponder on it too much.

I dreamt of a strange man. He was bald and his eyes were completely white. He was laughing as buildings burned. There were people screaming, cars exploding, and babies crying. A car burst into flames right next to me and I screamed, fleeing away from it as fast as I could to avoid getting burned.

The man walked down the streets, a sadistic smile plastered to his face as people died around him and buildings crumbled from the fires. A black crow was perched on his shoulder, and it cocked its head towards the air like it knew what was going on and enjoyed it.

I snarled and ran towards the man, anger boiling up inside me. The man turned and his eyes grew wide. His nostrils flared as his brows pushed together in the middle and he pointed a bony finger at me. "You…you horrible child! You ruin everything." He wailed, throwing his hands up in the air and sinking to the ground as the crow cawed and flapped its wings at me.

A blinding white light flared out from all directions, and I couldn't see for a few moments. When the light cleared and my vision returned, the whole city wasn't on fire anymore. It had resorted back to nature. Vines and plants were consuming buildings, and fresh trees sprouted out from streets. Deer and their fawns sprang over cars, which were halfway decomposed.

I shut my eyes and next thing I knew I was in my bed. I sat straight up, my breath coming out in short raspy breaths and I grasped the blanket against my chest. The room was dark, and there was no sign of Killian being anywhere. I swiped the back of my hand across my forehead, which was clammy and sweaty.

"Killian? " I called, holding onto some hope that he hadn't left me all alone; especially not tonight. "Killian…?" I dragged out his name, my voice holding a note of hysteria at the end. Tears started leaking out of the corner of my eyes, and I looked around the room fearfully. Nightmares make you extremely paranoid.

I was sobbing by the time Killian flew into the room. I didn't know why I was crying so much lately; ever since mom left I had been a rather strong person. I never cried. I figured it was the trauma of last couple nights.

Killian scouted the area with his gaze before plopping down on the bed and taking me in his arms. "I was just checking the surrounding woods when I heard your despair." He pressed his face into the crook of my neck, and I shivered. It wasn't from the cold though.

I reached for him and wrapped my arms around his neck, snuggling into his warmth. "I had a bad dream," I whispered, the man with the crow burned into my mind. I shook involuntarily and let look a shaky sob, then pulled away from Killian and looked at him. I loved being close to Killian, but I could only take so much contact. I liked my space.

Killian pressed a finger to my cheek, trapping a teardrop on the tip of his finger. He stared at the teardrop very intently, as if it had some importance to it. "Do you want to talk about your dream?" He watched the teardrop till it fell from his fingertip, landing on the fabric of his jeans.

His piercing emerald bulbs held mine as I sighed and trailed a circle on his leg with my finger. There was a moment of silence as I gathered my bearings, and when I spoke it all came out in a rush.

"I was walking in some important city, New York or Hollywood or something like that, only I didn't see the Hollywood sign or the Statue of Liberty, so I dunno…" I paused, extremely confused for a moment before shaking my head and continuing, "Anyway, there was a man. He was clothed in clothing that medieval kings wore, all fancy and such, and he was bald." I waved my hands in the air to express my dream, but Killian's face remained expressionless.

"His eyes were the scariest though. They were totally white, like the way a blind person's would be." I shot Killian a nervous look, because he wasn't speaking, but he indicated for me to press forward, so I did.

"He was walking down the middle of the street and everything was on fire. People were burning and…Oh, Killian. It was horrible." I lost my nerve again and my lip trembled, but I refused to cry anymore tonight.

Killian stood up suddenly, and the hairs on the back of my neck rippled.

"I got to go." He strode out of the door, his strut was stiff and his hands were balls of fists at his side. The door to my room slammed shut, and I flinched.

I sat there for minutes, staring at the door waiting for Killian to return. When he didn't I slowly got out of bed and opened my door, poking my head out and peering out into the hallway.

He wasn't there. I sighed and slammed the door, my anger bristling. I shot to the bed and slammed my fist into the pillow, biting my lower lip hard. I sunk into the bed, physically exhausted from all the crying and mentally from the nightmare.

I fell asleep surprisingly easy, and the next morning the sun's shining rays shone through my window and the birds chirped in the trees. I stretched, curling my tongue out like a cat and looked around to clear my eyes.

I eventually rolled out of bed, crawling to the bathroom on my hands and knees because I was too lazy to get up and walk. After I was done giving my bladder a break, I put on some clothes and headed downstairs and saw my father sitting at the kitchen table with a mug of coffee in one hand and the local newspaper in the other.

"Mornin' darlin'," He grunted, lowering his head at me before he laid his mug on the table and giving the paper a firm thrust to straighten it out.

I smiled softly at him and then turned to the fridge. Ugh, nothing to eat. There wasn't even any orange juice…oh, that's right.

I let out a whistle and shut the fridge, and then turned on the ball of my foot and faced my father. "I need to run to the grocery store; you forgot to get food." I waggled my finger at him, mocking my anger at him, but my laugh gave everything away.

He shoved his hand into his front pocket and pulled out his wallet. He searched through his bills and pulled out a twenty, shoving it across the table. "Sorry, last night we were getting a lot of calls."

I picked it up and pocketed it and nodded, snorting lightly at him and giving him a weird look. "I wasn't blaming you. I was just giving you a tough time. Lighten up." I smacked Dad playfully on the shoulder and then headed outside, slamming the screen door behind me.

I climbed into my car and started it up, laying my head against the steering wheel. My stomach was hurting, and I knew that if I stayed still it should go away.

Finally it did, and I pulled out of the driveway. My car was a cute little white ford truck, and it kicked up the dirt on the road until I got to the highway.

I pulled up to our city market ten minutes later, and it wasn't all that busy. Bangor was the third most populated city in Maine and for a grocery store to be as deserted as it was weird.

Since I was only getting a couple things, I grabbed a basket instead of a cart and walked toward the refrigerated drinks. I never got my orange juice, and I was craving it.

Once I got orange juice, I got items required for spaghetti and also hamburgers and steak for when we grilled. I was in line to pay when my cell phone started to buzz.

I gave the cashier, an old pregnant woman who looked like she absolutely hated her life, my twenty, and then checked my phone. Zo was calling.


	4. Chapter 4

I answered and pressed the phone between my cheek and my shoulder blade as I got my change and grabbed the groceries.

"Hey Zo. What's up?" I asked, waving my thanks to a driver that allowed me to cross the street to get to my car.

"Where are you?" Zo's voice crackled through the phone, and I searched for my car. Shit, I couldn't remember where I parked. I stood there, pressing the alarm button until I heard the annoyingly loud sound of my alarm going off.

I smiled awkwardly at the couple people who stared, and then answered Zo's question as I got into the car and turned my alarm off. "I just got done at the market. Why?" I clicked on my seatbelt and turned the radio down, so that I could hear Zo's voice.

The grocery store was surrounded by swaying trees and there was a cliff next to the left side of the store that overlooked the ocean.

I could remember going there as a child.

It had been summer, the summer after Mom disappeared, in fact. The waves crashed up against my tiny feet, and I remember giggling like mad. People went on with their lives around us: playing volleyball, Frisbee, or surfing. Dad had to save me when I sat down and one of the waves nearly carried me out to sea. The air tasted like salt, and the seagulls drifted in the wind above my head.

Zo's voice broke through my little trip down memory lane, and I pulled out of the market to head back home. "Come pick me up. I got an offer to tell you about." I could hear Ryan and Cole arguing in the background, and my brows furrowed.

"Are you babysitting?" I pressed the phone to my ear and turned down Zo's street; she lived about two minutes away from the market.

Zo abruptly hung up, and I guessed that she had to deal with Cole and Ryan. I was pulling down her street anyway.

Zo's family lived in a one story house that was way too small for a family of four. Zo's mom was the only parent in their life; her dad left when he learned of the twins. Zo had been an accident, and when their father learned of her mother being pregnant again, he snapped. He tried to get rid of the pregnancy, and pushed Zo's mom down a flight of stairs. It was a miracle she and the twins survived.

The yard was more taken care of than the actual house was; her mom was sick often and left Zo in charge most of the time. The white paint was peeling off the house, and the front door didn't like to open. Most of the windows didn't open either. However, the grass was as healthy as ever and there were fresh flowers along the sidewalk leading up to the house.

I didn't bother knocking. Zo and I had an unwritten code that stated we didn't have to. My home was hers, and vice versa.

I pressed my fingertips to her doorframe and pushed myself forward, cautiously entering the house. Her mother tended to be rather frightened of burglary and didn't hold back her swings.

Books littered the floors, as did a couple of bright colored clothes – obviously Zo's. There was a lone lamp on in the corner of the living room to the left, and a ceiling fan whirred dangerously fast on its loose pedestal. I feared it would fall, so I passed through as quickly as possible to Zo's room. So far, so good. I hadn't gotten punched yet.

"Who the-?" A body crashed into mine, and I screamed as I got slammed into the wall. Zo's mom had one hand pressed against my shoulder, keeping me in place, while the other was coiled and ready to break my nose. I flashed doe eyes at her, trembling, but as soon as she recognized me she lowered her fist and loosened her grip.

"I am so sorry Alea, dear. I thought you were here to murder me." Zo's mom laughed nervously and rubbed her arms. Today she looked particularly sickly; her hair was in a stringy blond bun, and her star colored eyes weren't shining so bright. She also looked as if she had just gotten done throwing up. Her skin was pale and there was a line of sweat on her brow.

"Don't exert yourself Amy," I said, using her first name and leading her towards her bedroom, which was next to Zo's. "I'm fine, but you need some sleep." I led her into the bedroom and tucked her into bed; she didn't complain nor was it weird that her daughter's best friend was caring for her; I had been doing it ever since I met Zo many years ago.

"Thank you, Alea. I really must go see a doctor. If only we could afford it. Maybe if I got a job…" Zo's mom seemed to be mumbling more to herself than to me so I ignored her. I grabbed the empty glass that was sitting on her bedside table and headed to the kitchen. Surprisingly it looked clean. It seemed as if Zo had cleaned up after everyone. Speaking of Zo…

I filled the glass with water, avoided a couple books, and set it back on the bedside table. There were no windows in Amy's room, so it was quite dark. I could only see the silhouette of her body and the faint motion of her blanket as she breathed.

"Amy?" I asked quietly, not wanting to wake her if she was asleep. "Do you know where Zo is?" I held my breath, but when she snored I rolled my eyes. Typical.

I shut her door quietly behind me, finding the quiet house odd, but when I heard voices in the backyard I strayed towards them, figuring it was the twins.

The backyard was just a small square of grass, with a chain linked fence keeping the stray dogs out. Zo and her family lived in the worst possible neighborhood; there was a shooting at least once or twice a week.

Zo was pushing her brothers on the rusty old swing set, her unnatural colored hair pulled back in a high ponytail. Ryan and Cole were identical, and since their mom couldn't afford haircuts and they didn't trust their older sister with a pair of scissors, they kept their sandy hair long. Ryan's was pulled back in a ponytail today, and his smile was large as he went higher and higher up into the sky.

"I'm going higher than you, Cole!" Ryan yelled, pumping his long legs as hard as he could.

"Shut up! You're taller than me!" Cole retaliated.

"Am not!"

"Am too!"

"Nuh uh!"

"Shut up! You guys are the exact same height, so stop your bickering!" and then when she noticed me, "Oh, hey Al. Mom okay?" She eyed me purposefully, and I understood.

"Yeah, Amy's great. She's taking a nap right now." I flashed Zo a look when relief spread across her face. My fingers were still pressed against the metal frame of the screen door, and I shut it and trailed up to Zo.

"Ready to go? Where are we going, anyway? You haven't told me anything." I let the annoying whine sneak into my voice, something I knew Zo hated very much.

Zo rolled her eyes and glared at me. "Ryan, Cole. You're in charge of Mom when I'm gone. Alea and I are going into town for a little shopping, alright?" Ryan and Cole's groans told they weren't OK with it, but Zo ignored them and led me around to the front through the fence. "We really are going into town. I'll talk to you about it on the way."

We piled into my truck and stopped by my house to let my dad know what was going on and to drop off the groceries before they got disgusting. Dad hugged the both of us and told us to be careful, being the typical dad.

Then we started heading towards the direction of the city. The trees slowly turned into buildings, as we got closer to town. The city was bubbling with life, as it would on a Saturday afternoon. I let Zo drive, since I didn't feel like driving and I trusted her driving skills enough to let her drive my truck. She had a country station turned on, and Carrie Underwood's voice carried through the speakers in that sweet voice of hers. I pressed my cheek against the closed window, my eyes shut. I wonder what Killian was doing right now. I wondered if he even thought of me when he disappeared for days on end. Killian was a mysterious man and, girlfriend or not, would not care to share those secrets.

"Killian still at that gig?" Zo peered over at me, clicking her blinker and moving into the fast lane of the highway as we entered the city. I didn't like being in the city much. There was too much pollution and the skyscrapers made me claustrophobic. "It's strange that he disappears for so long and only when he is with his band. You don't suppose he's cheating?" Zo's eyes widened and she kept glancing at me.

"Zo, shut up. He's not cheating." I felt sick to my stomach just thinking about it. So I pressed it from my mind, willing to deal with it later. "He just likes to get away. Maybe it's an Irish thing. I don't want to talk about it." It must have been the way I said it, because Zo didn't say anything else about Killian. I was worried, sure, but Killian would not cheat. He just wasn't the type. Besides, last time we saw each other he disappeared in a bit of a rush.

"So, any new boy toys?" I waggled my eyebrows at Zo and playfully pushed her shoulder, a small smile dazzling my lips. I just wanted to get the subject off of Killian without falling into an awkward silence.

"Actually…I do." Zo's cheeks blossomed a cherry red, and she glanced over at me with a small smile gracing her lips.

"Do you remember Derrick Zeppler? He was in our AP psych class." It took me a moment, but then his face appeared in my mind. He was one of the star athletes of something or other, and didn't usually go for girls like Zo. His bleach blond hair curled around his ears and his baby blue eyes only captured the attention of those like Alison. His surfer body if not anything else.

"No way. Really?" I eyed her with suspicion. I wasn't sure whether to believe her or not. Yeah, Zo was exceptionally gorgeous and I had envied her every time she got a boyfriend until Killian came along, but someone like Derrick just didn't happen with Zo.

"Dude, totally serious. He approached me outside Hot Topic when we were out shopping about a week ago." Her cheeks lit up again, and I suddenly remembered. They had gone to the mall because they both had money to blow and Zo had to get some bigger gauges but I had wanted to go get something to eat so we had agreed to meet at the food court. When she came back she was acting weird and giggly. I understood why now.

"So are you guys just messing around, or actually a thing? Tell me everything," I said, smirking foolishly. In truth, it wasn't that exciting. Zo had a new boy like every week, and her longest relationship was three months. She just liked to start fresh again and again. I didn't blame her; Killian was a unique one. Most of the guys in Bangor High were assholes.

Zo kept her eyes on the road, but her mouth was moving quicker than a cheetah chasing after its prey. I nodded and asked questions to keep her going, but in all honestly her talking about Derrick made me want Killian more than ever.

I think she was concentrating on her story so hard that she didn't see the man step onto the street in front of her. We were spinning before either of us could scream, and when we came to a halt all I could think about was how much dad was going to kill me if that truck was damaged and that it was a miracle we didn't flip. Zo had burst into tears, probably from shock, and I just sat there numbly.

"We just hit someone. What kind of idiot steps into oncoming traffic?" I rambled on to myself, trying to keep that horrible panic from taking over. If it did it would be the end of me.

Someone opened Zo's side of the door and pulled her out, and then did the same with me. I looked down to make sure I didn't get impaled with anything, and then shakily looked up at the person that pulled us out of the truck. I squealed and tried to run, but the man grabbed my arm and rooted me in place. The same man that had been in my house the night Killian left for his gig. It was the same man that just got hit by my truck.

"Ma'am? Is everything alright?" His voice had a strange accent, like a mix between English and Scottish but prettier.

I looked up at him, trying to shake off the shock that was threatening to consume my limbs, and then got very close to his face as red hot anger flashed across my eyes. "Am I alright? You just walked in front of my truck. If there are damages, I swear you better pay them," I spat, shaking my fist in anger.

The man's eyes looked from the truck, to me, and then Zo, and then me again before he spoke. "Ma'am, what are you talking about? I was merely standing on the side here waiting for a ride into town, and you pulled over. But you have this dazed look on your face, so I was concerned about your wellbeing."

I let my head tilt to the side, confusion eminent on my face. "No…we hit you. I saw it. Zo saw it." I shook my head, refusing to believe the truth. Zo was standing at the hood of the car, a stunned look on her face. The man turned to her and smiled softly.

"You were just going to give me a ride, right?" He said to Zo, and she nodded, looking over at me, baffled.

"I told you that I felt bad for him and was going to give him a ride into town. Didn't you hear me?" Zo laughed and shook her finger at me. "You really need to stop daydreaming about Killian missy."

The man's eyes widened slightly at the mention of Killian, and it made me uneasy. However, he didn't say anything so I grumbled and climbed into the car, scooting to the middle. Zo climbed back into the driver's seat, and the man sat next to me, a little too close for comfort.

I noticed that no one had stopped to make sure that we were OK and I shook my head. What just happened? I didn't dwell on it too long, because it was making me sick to my stomach, and we were nearing town anyway.

"What are we going into town for again? I don't believe you told me." I swiped at Zo, smiling as she swerved slightly on purpose, a smile present on her face too.

"I've decided we got to kick off the summer by having a bonfire. And since you live on the biggest land, thanks for your ancestors or something, I thought maybe we could do it on your land." Zo's voice had a nervous note to it, as if she were afraid I was going to say no.

"Zo, you know how my dad feels about fire…" I started, peering sideways at Adrian. In all honesty, my dad didn't care as long as we didn't catch the woods on fire and he wasn't on duty. I just didn't want Mr. Creepy Man sitting on my right side getting any ideas.

Zo, being the natural blonde she was, did not catch on to anything I was attempting. "You're dad never cared before. Please? We want to have it on June 21. Alea Raye, just say yes!" I felt Adrian's body stiffen, and it left a weird feeling in the pit of my gut. It was a feeling that I didn't like. However, I didn't want to disappoint my friend.

"Fine," I said, whistling through my nose, "But why June 21?" Adrian perked up, and I knew he was listening intently because of the fact that he was holding his breath. I looked at him, and he smiled peevishly, winking at me before looking at Zo.

We were in the city now, and I interrupted Zo before she could speak, changing my mind. I didn't want to know the answer with Adrian in the truck. "Where do you want to be let off? Zo and I have errands to run." I looked over at Zo, raising an eyebrow and then held my breath, hoping he would just go away.

"I'll be let off here, thank you. I would hope that I would be invited to your bonfire." His smile was seductive, and my voice was shaky when I spoke again.

"No."

"No?" Disappointment flashed across his face, and he had his fingers wrapped around the door handle as Zo pulled into the parking lot near the outdoor mall. "What if I told you I had…matters to discuss with Killian?" My expression must have set something off, because he grinned, and I noticed his canines were a bit pointier than the norm. "Glad I have your acceptance. I'll give you my number so that you can text me your address. Even if you don't," he was inches from my face when he said this, and then he was gone and out of the car, peering at me through the window, "I'll just get your address from Killian and show up anyway." He gave me a knowing look and I knew he wasn't kidding.

"Um…okay," I stumbled over my words and looked over at Zo, who was staring at me with that weird smile of hers. I was going to get hammered with questions later, I knew that look anywhere. Hell, everyone knew the famous Zo look. It was a look that gave her whatever she wanted.

When I looked back outside, Adrian was gone. He really had a knack for doing that. I knew he was the one that had been in my house that one night, and the thought of it sent shivers down my spine. When I looked down, I saw a seven digit phone number etched across my skin in ink. _How did that get there?_

"Let's go, yeah?" I mumbled, scooting over and pushing the door open, climbing out. The wind was cool against my warm skin, and I silently wished for winter. I was like that; I wanted winter in the summer and summer in the winter, which is the main reason I loved autumn and spring the most.

"So, he was a hottie…how do you manage to do it? Please, share." Zo clipped my side with her hip, smiling softly. I gave her a smoldering look, and she laughed, patting my shoulder, as if that would lessen the glare. "Oh come on, you can't try and tell me you don't know him. He knew Killian!"

"He broke into my house," I said quietly, peering down at my feet. I looked back up at Zo, who was staring at me suspiciously, as if she didn't know whether or not to believe me.

"Anyway," I said, deciding to change the subject before questions arose that I could not answer. "What are we doing here, anyway?"


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: I need to know if I should continue posting this on here…I'm not getting any reviews, the only reason I'm posting this on here. :( Come on people! I know you have it in you. It takes like, two seconds?**

I accidently brushed shoulders with someone, a spiky haired kid with the skateboard, and he flipped me the finger as I tried to apologize. I rolled my eyes and continued to walk as we got into the middle of the outdoor mall.

"We're just shopping. I needed a new pair of shoes."

I rolled my eyes; Zo and her shoes were ridiculous. I don't know where she got all the money to buy her shoes. She had to easily have owned a hundred pairs.

We stopped at the local Hot Topic, where there was a sale going on. There was always a sale going on. A man with huge gauges and a metal rod sticking through the bridge of his nose greeted us at the door. "And just so you girls know there is buy one get on half off on the band tees," he waved his hand towards the back wall and then smiled warmly at us before helping a customer with the gauges, which were locked in the display for security purposes.

"Ooh, these are cute!" Zo picked up a pair of zebra platform heels and displayed them for me, and I nodded enthusiastically.

"How much are they?" I asked.

"Um…" she paused for a moment to take a peek at the price tag before continuing, "They're only thirty bucks!" She jumped around in excitement, and a couple girls dressed in Aéropostle stared her down. I gave them a good hard stare until they looked away before grabbing the heels from Zo.

"Are you sure you want these and not another pair?" I raised an eyebrow; I had been subject to Zo's rage when she bought a pair of shoes and then found another she liked more, only to learn she lacked the funds to buy the second pair.

Zo nodded her head vigorously taking the pair up to the counter. "I'm sure. But Al? Please don't let me spend any more money. I need to start saving it." She flashed me her pouty lip and batty eyes, and I patted her on the back with a grin on my face.

"You're cut off missy."

The guy at the counter had a huge green Mohawk that was spiked up today, and he was wearing cat eye contacts. He scanned the heels and asked, "Will that be all for you?" Zo nodded so he tapped the keys on the cashier. "That'll be $31.47 as your total. Would you like to donate a dollar to the Invisible Children fund and get a free bag?" He gestured to a small black bag with a skull on it and a larger bag with "Music = life" printed in white on the front.

Zo shook her head, her cheeks flaming lightly with embarrassment. She hated turning down donations. "Sorry, not today." The cashier gave her a small smile and took her $32 dollars.

"You're change will be $0.33 and you ladies have a wonderful day." He plopped the change into Zo's outstretched hands and I stopped looking at the small pins that said things like "Practice safe snax. Always use a condiment" and such, and followed Zo outside the store.

"Where are we going now?" I asked, looking around absentmindedly before spotting a head of black hair over the crowd. "Is that Killian?" I asked Zo, bouncing on my tip toes to try and get a better look. "It is!" I gasped and starting running to who was in fact, Killian. He turned and went slightly wide eyed but held out his arms for me just the same.

I folded into his arms, which wrapped around me perfectly, and took in that sweet scent of his, sighing contently. "I missed you," I mumbled into his shirt, and then looked up at him, planting a kiss on his lips. His lips were sweeter than ever, as if he had just finished a bowl of fruit.

"Missed you too, love." Killian wrapped his arms around my waist and lifted me into the air, spinning me around like in those cheesy romantic movies. Zo was grinning ear to ear every time I passed her while I was spinning, and I stuck my tongue out at her. "Shopping, I presume?" He set me back down on the concrete and pulled me over to the side so we weren't in anyone's way while we talked.

"Yes, I needed new shoes. How are you, by the way?" Zo wedged herself into the conversation, and my guiltiness meter went up a few notches when I realized that we were not including her again.

"You and your shoes Zo, it's getting out of hand." I smacked Killian playfully on the arm, because I knew he was joking. Zo did too, because she laughed and nodded.  
>"I should probably get that checked out," Zo joked, tugging her fingers through her bangs, a bad habit of hers.<p>

I leaned into Killian's side, suddenly exhausted with today's events. I checked my phone; it was half past three. "I should probably get home. Meet me at my house, Killian? I need to talk to you about something."

"Of course, love." He pecked me on the lips and wrapped Zo in up into a friendly hug before disappearing around the corner. I stared at the corner he disappeared around for a moment, lost in thought, when Zo tapped me on the shoulder.

"Come on, Alea. Let's try to beat Killian to your house." Zo laughed and started to walk, but I remained quiet. Killian had seemed on edge. As if he already knew what I wanted to talk to him about.

My stomach protested loudly, so we decided to take a run through a McDonalds on the way home. Zo tore into her Big Mac while I gripped the fruit salad in my lap as I drove home. I don't eat and drive for safety reasons.

I decided to drop Zo off at home because I wanted to talk to Killian on my own. She seemed to pout for a little bit – I could tell from the disappointed energy that flowed from her body – but I told her that we would get together later that night to plan the bonfire and that perked her right back up.

I pulled up to my house and noticed that Killian had gotten out one of the other horses from the stables and was waiting for me with Elvina next to him. He rode on Shadowfax, our white horse that had reminded us of Gandalf's horse in _The Two Towers. _I flashed him the pointer finger and ran inside, giving Dad the change and admiring the fact he had actually put away the groceries. I shoveled down my salad and explained to Dad what I was doing before bounding out of the house.

The door clanked behind me and I ignored it as I walked up to my horse, which kneeled down to let me on without a saddle. Bareback was my favorite way to ride her, because what animal wants to be strapped into all that riding gear? You would have thought my experience with that terrifying creature would have veered me away from riding bareback, but I didn't let silly things like fear get in the way of doing something I loved.

"'Ello, love. I beat you again," Killian poked his tongue out between his lips, and I rolled my eyes. He would never let me down that he was faster getting around to places and yet he wouldn't let me in on the secret as to how that was possible.

"Whatever. Putting that aside, I wanted to ask you if you knew someone." I glanced over at him as we warmed up the horses, taking them from the tree in the middle of the yard to the house before we took them on the trail in the woods. "It's someone who mentioned you by name, so please don't lie to me."

Killian looked appalled at the fact that I would suggest he would do such a thing, but he nodded and sighed. "I promise to speak nothing but the truth, darling." He turned Shadowfax and led him into the forest, where it was bursting with life from the rain we had been getting.

I followed and tried to think of how to put it. After mentally struggling over it for a couple of minutes, I decided to just come out and ask if he knew him before I explained. "Do you know someone named Adrian? He was tall and had an auburn faux hawk."

He paused and turned, and I saw that he was struggling to control his emotions. Well, at least my question was answered. "How do you know of him?" He murmured quietly, and chills started to roll down my back. He was angry when his voice got low, I had learned that when I did something he did not like a couple months ago. I refuse to elaborate because I refuse to think about that incident. It involved trying to follow him to one of his gigs.

"He…" I paused, afraid to tell him. What if he laughed at me like Zo did? It could have been a possibility that the man was just a hallucination and that I was half asleep and delirious. That still wouldn't explain seeing him today on the side of the road. And the fact I needed to know how Killian knew him, it was obvious now that he did, forced me to tell him.

"I hit him with my car, only he wasn't hurt. He told me Zo stopped to pick him up, but I swore we hit him. I…" I paused to clutch my hair in frustration and confusion, "I just don't understand how I could see something like that and it was utterly untrue!"

We took the horses through the short trail, and when we got to our favorite meadow, not as beautiful as the one that appeared when I was kissing Killian of course, we dismounted and let Shadowfax and Elvina graze.

Killian had gone quiet when I had my little freak out session, and when I finally stopped speaking he wrapped his arms around me and I could feel him trembling. Whether it was from fear or anger, I could not tell. He locked me in his embrace for what seemed like eternity, leaving me very confused as to what was going on. Finally he pulled me away from his body to study me.

"Adrian is an old buddy of mine. I suggest you stay away from him."

I looked down, cheeks flaming in embarrassment. I spoke when I heard him sigh. "He kind of invited himself to my bonfire party I'm having. He told me that he was going to show up anyway after I told him he couldn't come. Please be there?" I pecked his forehead and then peered into his eyes, trying to pour my concern. "I can tell you don't like him, which means I should be worried. So I want you there with me."

"Of course, love." Killian smiled at me reassuringly and sealed the promise with a loving kiss on the lips. He ran his fingers lightly up and down my arms, his gaze getting a faraway look to it as he lost himself in thought.

"Killian?"

"Mmm," he murmured, not really paying attention to me at all.

"Is Adrian human? Is he even real?" I said this with a nervous tone to my voice, and I really didn't want to meet eye contact, but I knew I wouldn't get an answer unless I did. I held his gaze steadily for a moment, hoping that he would, for once, open up to me and tell me what was going on.

However, my wishes were denied to me. "What are you talking about, Alea? Of course he's human. And unfortunately, he's very real." He patted me on the shoulder and gave me a lopsided smile, then pushed past me. "Come on. I need to make us dinner."

I exhaled noisily through my nose, unattractive, I'm sure. However, I followed him towards the horses, which nickered excitedly and allowed us to mount the both of them. "I ate at home," I told him, hoping to steer the conversation back to Adrian, but no avail. He only shook his head and then wiggled a finger at me.

"That fruit salad I know you shoveled down before you came outside hardly counts as a meal." He whispered to Shadowfax, who immediately followed whatever he told him and bounded forward into a gallop.

I mumbled in frustration and clicked at Elvina to do that same, irritated at what little Killian was telling me. And me not eating enough? Hah! Killian never ate anything other than what came out of the Earth. He ate even less than I did.

It was reaching dusk by the time we got back to the house, and by the time we cooled the horses down and brushed them, Dad had already left for work, leaving the house to ourselves. I didn't understand why Dad had so much trust in me by allowing Killian and I in the house alone, but I never complained. I never did get as much out of Killian as I wanted, though, either.

Killian led me inside and sat me down at the dinner table, giving me a stern look and telling me to stay. I crossed my arms and pretended to pout, but he only turned around and started to fry me some bacon and eggs. I didn't really know why he always liked making me breakfast for dinner, but I wasn't complaining. Bacon and eggs were one of my favorites, and he knew it.

Zo called while we were eating asking if she could come over, and I agreed. She arrived when we were cleaning the dishes; I could have heard her coming from miles away. Her mother's truck had the loudest muffler on it.

"Wait for it…" I told Killian, and laughed as he shot me a look of confusion. Zo burst through the door and started waving papers in my face, and I tried not to strangle her for smothering me.

"I started writing up who should come and when it should be. I was thinking the 21st , like I said earlier, which is a Saturday and it would give us a couple weeks to get invitations out. I was thinking of just do the grapevine effect and getting word out about it, because that would be the easiest. We'll need refreshments and maybe even hotdogs and marshmallows for the bonfire. I – oh hey Killian, I didn't even see you there!" She took a break from her rant to grin widely at Killian, who rubbed the nape of his neck nervously and returned the smile.

"Hey Zo. I um…Al? I'm going to leave you guys to your party planning. Mind if I take Shadowfax for the night? I'll have him returned in the morning." I nodded in agreement. Killian frequently took the majestic horse for days on end, and the old animal seemed rather pleased for the vacations.

"Fantastic," Killian said, clapping his hands together and planting a kiss on my lips on his way out. "I will see you guys' later, okay? Alea Raye, I love you." He winked at me, and the way he said my name was causing my heart to flutter like butterflies caught in a hurricane, and then he disappeared out the back door.

Zo didn't even give me time to swoon over the fact that he told me he loved me again; she grabbed my hand and dragged me to my room. She pushed me down on the bed and when I made a jokingly suggestive remark, she just stared at me and struggled not to laugh.

"This is not the time for jokes!" She commanded, pushing the papers into my arms and plopping down beside me on the bed. "Now, it's down to business." She rubbed her hands together and started pointing to names, and I paid attention enough to nod in the appropriate places. The sun made the shadows dance over my room as it grew progressively darker, and we started to wrap up the plans.

We decided that we were going to have the bonfire Saturday the 21st, which was in a couple weeks and that we were just going to try and spread the news of the party from word of the mouth. Killian could get word out really easily. We would make Killian help us set up Saturday, and Zo and I would go grab some food and drinks from the gas station that morning.

"So…are you gonna invite tall, dark and mysterious like he asked you to?" Zo batted her eyelashes pitifully at me and latched onto my arm like a lost puppy. "Please? You can't deny your best friend a hot man, especially when you got the only one here in town." She waggled her finger at me when I shot her a look of denial. "Don't give me that look. Killian is probably the hottest guy in this whole state, and when someone like Adrian comes along you can't just keep him to yourself! Besides-"

"Okay! Jesus, Zo, I never said no." I laughed, but nervously. I really didn't want to invite Adrian, but I couldn't deny her eye candy either. I wouldn't let them near each other though; I just didn't trust Adrian. "And whatever happened to Derrick?" I asked, teasing.

She pushed me off the bed. "Hey, you know the girl code! I can look, just not touch." She waggled her eyes at me and I just blew a strand of hair out of my face and laughed.

I had placed Adrian's number in my phone earlier, and with Zo watching me intently I texted the number to see if he would like to come to the bonfire. "There, I did it." I snapped my phone closed and stared intently at the invite list until Zo looked away.

A few minutes later my phone made its ding! noise, and I grabbed wildly for it, my heart pounding for unknown causes.

"Someone's excited," Zo joked, but peered over my shoulder.

_Who's this? _The text read.

"Is he dumb?" I muttered grumpily. It was obvious he was toying with me for his own personal amusement. However, I could be overreacting. I hadn't given him my number in return.

_It's…uh…Alea. The girl that gave you a ride into town. Killian's girl. _I texted back. My cheeks blossomed red in embarrassment. I must have sounded like a stupid seventeen year old girl. I knew I WAS a seventeen year old girl, but that didn't mean I usually acted like one.

_Oh. 'Ello sexy. ;) Of course I'll be there. I told you I would come whether you wished me there or not. Saturday it is! _Was the reply.

"Whatever." I rolled my eyes and harshly slammed the phone on the bedside table. "He's stupid." I didn't know where this anger towards someone I barely knew was coming from, but it definitely wasn't foreign. It reminded me of the time when Zo found out that one of her exes was cheating on her. I was that angry.

"Whoa. Cool it, tiger." Zo put her hands up in mock surrender, a cruel smile playing on her lip gloss pink lips. "No need to get snippy."

"Sorry. I don't like him at all. Want to crash here tonight?" I asked, trying to change the subject and stifling a yawn behind my fingertips. "Dad won't mind." I stood up, pulling a shirt and PJ pants off from the dirty floor. I changed into my PJ's while waiting for Zo's answer; we weren't shy.

"Nah. I'll catch you sometime tomorrow. Mom will need me at home. She isn't feeling well." Zo grew quieter towards the end of the sentence, and I stared at her, concerned.

"Is Mama Amy okay?"

"Yeah. Uh…she's fine." Zo looked away and rubbed her arm as if she were cold. "I got to go. See you tomorrow." She grabbed the bonfire information and left the room before I could say anything, and I stood there for a minute.

"Okay, cool," I said to myself.

I went to bed with ease that night; it was the most restful night I had had in a long time.


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: So it freaks me out a little to post all of my novel on here, because I spent a good seven months writing it and I would rather not get it stolen…thanks to the two who reviewed me, I hope to get more and I'm still deciding how much I want to put on here! But I hope you enjoy :D**

The next few weeks were easy enough and the same routine. I exercised Elvina without going into the forest again – I didn't want another attack, that scar was ugly enough – and was lazy around the farm. Killian was off busy doing things, and I didn't get a chance to see him much until the Saturday of the party – however, he did inform me that there were many people excited about the party.

Saturday morning awoke with birds chirping and a warm sun shining: the perfect day for a bonfire. I sat up and stretched, managing to pop my back which was my favorite thing to pop. After using the bathroom I clambered downstairs to find Killian and Zo waiting for me in the kitchen, eating breakfast.

"Mornin' guys." I let loose a huge yawn, shuffling into Killian's waiting arms. I planted a kiss on his lips even though I was severely conscious of my morning breath. "Wait down here while I go freshen up and then we can start setting up? Zo, did you get the food like I asked you to yesterday?"

Zo nodded and pointed to the counter, where bags of food sat waiting for the party tonight. I patted her on the shoulder appreciatively, and then ran upstairs to get dressed and ready. I figured today I would just wear sweatpants and a t-shirt, and then change into a dress or something tonight. I brushed through my unruly hair and didn't bother with makeup before brushing my teeth and heading downstairs.

"Okay. Let's get this party set up!" I clapped my hands together to get them psyched up for the party, and it worked. They both immediately stood and started talking about plans animatedly.

We decided that first we would go and get a lot of firewood from the barn, since it was a bonfire after all. We had a contest at who could lift the most, and Killian won by a nutshell with fifteen logs at once.

Once we got that finished, we set up a couple tables where we would put the food and punch and other items. We knew that someone would probably slip booze into the punch, but as long as I hadn't supplied it I wouldn't get in trouble.

It only took till about two thirty in the afternoon, leaving six hours until the party started. We decided to go trail riding. I took Elvina, of course, while Killian saddled Shadowfax and Zo saddled our prized stallion, Black Beauty.

We went on the short trail, the one that only took about two hours to complete, so that we would be back in time to bathe and brush the horses and then get cleaned up ourselves.

The woods were eerie today; I had a strange feeling of panic, a feeling that I was being watched. However, when I studied my surroundings intently, in attempt to find the thing that was unnerving me, I failed miserably.

The woods around me seemed to glitter and twirl with life. The trees were blooming happily, and the butterflies nourished themselves and the flowers around them.

We laughed and joked about random events during the year, and by the time I checked my phone again, it was five thirty in the afternoon. "Good thing we're almost back home, people will be arriving soon," I said to Killian and Zo, and they clicked their heels against the horses to speed them up to a gallop.

When we got back to my house, no one had arrived yet, but that was to be expected. Who wants to show up early to a party? You weren't perceived as 'cool' when you were the first one to show up.

Surprisingly, a lot of people were supposed to be coming. Even if I was on the bottom of the totem pole at school, everyone from these parts knew I threw a mean party because of the land my family owned, and everyone always showed up. You would think that would gain me some more respect at school, but apparently not.

I was inside getting the food ready (I was going to make some of my guy friends or Killian cook hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill) when Zo told me that there were people arriving.

"Okay! I'll be out in a minute," I replied, carrying the bags of chips and pop outside. We decided not to do the punch bowl, because I didn't want the thing getting spiked with drugs. I set down the food and turned around, greeting a couple of Zo's friends, Logan and Alison. They were acquaintances of mine, but I never really got a chance to hang out with them. They seemed pretty cool, though.

Logan didn't believe in a haircut, so his blond hair reached the middle of his back, and he wore a hippie band around his crown. His white-blue eyes were always out of focus, as if he were in a daydream all the time. His wore skinny jeans that he cut at the knee, and moccasins. His shirt always had Bob Marley on it. Alison was extremely tall, probably as tall as Logan, who was around six foot. She had boy cut hair, but it looked good on her. She was a very real person and told you how it was, and she had never lied in a day of her life.

"Hey Logan. Hey Alison. What's crackin'?" I greeted them friendly, and high fived Logan's outstretched palm. Alison pulled me into a tight hug, and I laughed in slight embarrassment. I would never get used to how loving the two of them were.

"Dude, I couldn't miss your party for nothin'. Zo told me about it, and I just knew I had to be here, 'cause that's where it's at." When Logan started talking, he never really shut up, which was one of the reasons why I wouldn't be able to hang out with him. I didn't know how Alison put up with it; she had been dating Logan for three years. They graduated this year and were probably not going to college for a while if that. Logan smoked too much pot and didn't have a job to get him anywhere. Alison, too.

"That's nice, Logan. Would you mind helping Killian get the food on the grill? He's strict vegan and hates touching the meat." I clapped my hand on Logan's bony shoulder and smiled sweetly at him.

"Food? Dude, I have the freaking munchies like no other! Where is that boy?" Logan took off towards the grill, where Killian looked at the food with disgust apparent on his face. I felt sympathy for him, and then turned to Alison.

"I need you to find Zo for me and tell her to get some of the logs on the fire. It's going to be dark soon and I want to get the flame pretty high before everyone else arrives." I smiled genuinely at Alison and she returned it, walking past me into my house in search for Zo. She wasn't much of a talker, which heightened my confusion as to how Logan and she could work out. I would never understand love sometimes.

I had forgotten to change before the party, so I took a step inside as more people were arriving to get into my party dress. It was quite simple, but really pretty. The black fabric was stretchy, and one of the sleeves was long sleeved, while the other was not. My left side was showing, and there were random cuts up the long sleeve. I pulled it on and checked my hair, slapping on some eyeliner while I was at it.

A ton of people had arrived while I was in my room, and the music blaring from my truck caused several of them to start dancing around the roaring fire. The fire was at least twenty feet high, which meant Zo had been found. I looked through the crowd of people for either her or Killian.

I spotted Zo making out with Derrick, the boy she had been talking about in the car, and I rolled my eyes. I would be the one dealing with the tears when he fucked her over, not him. Killian was nowhere to be seen.

Someone came up and wrapped their arms around my waist, and I felt Killian's dark hair tickle the back of my neck. I sighed in contentment and leaned into him; I had been so stressed about seeing Adrian that I had forgotten to enjoy myself and spend time with my boyfriend. Twilight stars started poking through the nighttime blanket in the sky, and the bonfire kept the place warm. "Come on. I think we need some much needed alone time," Killian whispered in my ear, causing chills to run up and down my back.

I nodded and turned to look at him. A devious smile curled his lips upwards, something that looked foreign on his lips. I looked at him suspiciously, but didn't question anything when he took her hand and led me to the edge of the woods. Zo tried stopping us, but I waved her away with a look that told her I didn't want to be messed with and Derrick pulled her into another make-out session.

The trees were strangely alive tonight, as if they were in anticipation for something and I kept feeling like I was seeing strange men in the shadows. It was unnerving; I hadn't seen anything in the woods in years, and to see it now freaked me out. However, instead of losing years of life due to stress over it, I turned to Killian and pressed my lips to his mouth.

He pressed me against one of the trees, and I felt a great pulse against my back, but I passed it off as the bass system coming from the party. I heard giggling from the tree cover above me, but I tried focusing on Killian. I shut my eyes and got into the moment.

"Adrian, seriously?" I felt someone shove Killian off of me, only when I opened my eyes Adrian was the one that tripped over the root and Killian was the one standing in front of me. I had never seen Killian so angry. I could literally see a fire burning in his eyes. Adrian grinned sadistically up at him, pulling himself up and brushing himself off.

"Nice to see you again, old friend."

"Sorry, I can't say I can say the same about you. How's Otundr treating you?" Cruelty coated the words sliding off of Killian's lips, and I stared at him, open mouth. How exactly did Killian know this man? I didn't know, and I wasn't sure I wanted to find out.

"Oh come on, old sport. Don't be like that. I simply could not take the Queen's bossing around a moment longer," Adrian said. _Queen?_

Killian looked sideways at me, and I gave him a look that suggested he had some explaining to do. He sighed, rubbing the nape of his neck. "Al? Could you see how the party guests are faring? I need to have a chat with my dear old _friend, _alone." When I tried to protest, he pressed his palm against the tree, trapping me between him. He bent his head to look at me, his eyes wide and innocent. "Please, Alea? I'll be back to the festivities soon." Adrian watched the whole ordeal with a faint smirk apparent on his lips and rolled his eyes once or twice.

I huffed. "Fine."

Killian nodded and kissed my forehead and then my nose. "Come on." He gestured to Adrian, his tone demanding.

I watched them disappear around the corner of one of the trails, and stared at what appeared to look like a garden gnome. It's tall, pointy red hat only reached the top of the small brush, and it stared at me intently, as if I were the most fascinating in the world. However, when I blinked it was gone. "You're going crazy, Alea, I swear," I muttered to myself, returning to the warmth of the roaring bonfire. Several of the people were still dancing and several of them were passed out drunk. So there was booze. I sighed. Kids these days were ridiculous.

Then, I heard it. The music. It couldn't be.

All of a sudden my feet were carrying me back towards the forest, and I had the overwhelming feeling that I didn't want to go there. I was heading towards the opening where my mother disappeared, all those years ago. I was crying and laughing at the same time. The warmth of the bonfire no longer warmed my back, and all the partiers ignored me completely.

The music seemed to wrap my legs into chains of invisible rope; no matter how much my mind screamed to run, I just could not stop walking. The tears had ceased from running down my cheeks, but I did not have the will to wipe them away so they hardened into salty lines on my face. The music got louder, as if the very trees were its loud speakers.

I wasn't sure what was driving me to move forward, but no matter how many times I tripped or fell over an ancient root, my feet refused to stop moving. The logical part of my brain was on overdrive, struggling to process some sense from what was going on, and failing miserably. There was light coming from between a set of trees, but it was a color not in our color wheel. To me, it looked like a shade of purple, but somehow I knew if someone else happened to glance at that light they would not see purple. It was as if your eyes were wired to your destiny and past, and that is the color that you saw.

Fear swelled up in my chest as my being drew me closer and closer to that light, yet, I knew that whatever it was, it would not hurt me. I squeezed my eyes shut; I wasn't sure I wanted to see what was behind the cover of those trees. Finally the brightness of the purple light was too much to bear, and I opened my eyes. The sight left me speechless.

Things that only showed up in fairy tales where dancing around a circle of mushrooms of a perfect white color. The mushrooms seemed like they were glowing, they were so bright. The laughter from the surrounding beings was magical in my eyes, and I instantly took a step forward. The full moon reflected their unique beauty, and I could do nothing but stare. Pixies, gnomes, little nude creatures with wings, and creatures I couldn't even name were laughing and dancing around this mysterious circle. Someone started to sing, and my head whipped in the direction of the familiar voice.

My head swam with confusion. What was Killian doing here? A couple of what the legends called pixies. They covered in moss green skin, rode toward me on gorgeous white horses which were dressed with thin pieces of ribbon in their manes. They were about human height, if not the height of a small child, and very slender. It was almost scary how very thin they were. Their eyes were completely black; you couldn't tell the difference between their cornea and the pupil. Transparent wings were sprouting from their backs, and their smiles were entrancing. One of the pixies, whose glittery eyes were particularly slanted at the temple, pointed a perfectly manicured hand in my direction and then curled backward, indicating he wanted me to follow him. I did not disobey. Something was stirring in the pit of my stomach, and there was a strange tingling in my fingertips.

"Come little huuuman." A deep voice came from the blanket of darkness and trees and my mind seized in immense horror. It was a fear that I never felt before, the voice of this unseen creature physically paralyzed me with fear. I could not move. The others must've not seen him either, because no one turned when he spoke. I could not see him at all, but I knew where he stood by the direction of his voice. "Go on," he spoke again, and I started to shake violently in terror. "Just step into the circle, and all this will become just a dream."

**Chapter Three**

The voice quieted after that, but the fear never went away. Once I had stopped paying attention to the pixies they got bored and rode around the circle, setting their lips to the wooden flutes that were stored in their pockets and playing along with Killian's voice.

My emotions were on overdrive. Everything about me was on a higher level. Tears were streaming down my face as extreme sadness swelled up in my chest. Every time Killian opened his mouth and unleashed that godly, otherworld music, I wanted to throw myself at him and tear his clothes off.

Then, his gaze caught mine. I saw a mixture of emotions there: happiness, horror, lust, sadness. I tilted my head to the side, a goofy grin pulling the corners of my lips up, my fear nearly forgotten. He didn't return the grin, like he usually does.

Instead, his eyes widened slightly, but he never stopped singing. The others were glittering with life and beckoning me to their circle. Their graceful movements fascinated me, and I took a step towards the magic, despite the fact my conscious was screaming no.

"No! Not my baby!" Something slammed into my side with such a force that I was knocked sideways and hit my head on a rock that was jutting out of the ground.

Everything started turning fuzzy as I lost consciousness, and my mom's face filled my vision. Her face was a mask of concern, and I struggled to speak to her, reach out to her, anything. Unconsciousness finally decided to take over.

I woke up in the same place, but it was dark and there were two people whispering over me.

I recognized Killian first. He was gripping my hand, hard, and I could feel the lack of blood stinging my fingertips. I grimaced, uncomfortable by the pain. His face was twisted into an expression of worry and guilt. I tried to smile, to reassure him, but all that left my lips was a groan.

"Stupid, stupid girl. I told you not to follow me," Killian whispered, his voice cracking slightly. "Now everything is about to change." I tried to be angry with him for calling me stupid, but my head was pounding too much for that.

There was a face behind him, but I couldn't make it out. The bruise on my head was going to be massive. Oh crap, what was I going to tell dad?

I turned from the face behind him and stared up at him, definitely not all there yet. I most certainly didn't trust myself to speak. I took my free hand and pressed my palm to my forehead, emitting an even louder groan than before.


	7. Chapter 7

**An: I decided this is the last chapter I'm going to post of this story, unless I get a lot more reviewers. Also, for copyright reasons. Despite those who say this story won't get stolen, it could happen, you know? I'm only in the process of getting this story edited and will feel better when it's in stores and can't be stolen. But, I want to know your guys' critiques, what you like/dislike, and if you would buy this off the shelf! Thanks for reading :D**

The forest was strangely quiet; I couldn't even hear the wind or an owl. The trees loomed over me menacingly, and I shivered from the cold. What was lively and bright before was dark and threatening. What was a festival mere seconds before was now a desolate waste; there wasn't even a trace of a dance in sight.

"Can we just get her home?" A familiar voice snapped through the air, clearing my head of the confusion. The fuzzy voice I noticed earlier suddenly became clear, and I cried out in despair. I was certain that I was hallucinating or perhaps it was the rock I hit, but my mom was NOT standing in front of me. I mean, this woman was unrecognizable from the pictures, but I knew it was her.

Midnight colored hair framed her face, but it was short now, and she wore it spiked, like the pixie hairstyle that was seemingly popular these days. Emerald pearls looked down at me; there was guilt and relief that played in her expression. Her dress was of material that I had never seen before; it looked like it had come from the very forest itself. It was long and flowing and green, and there was only a strap on one shoulder. She was barefoot; I remember her never wearing shoes when she could help it. "Mom?" I asked weakly, pushing myself up in a sitting position.

Killian tried to push me back down, a look of distress masking his face, but I waved him away as my anger flared. The very woman that just got up and left was sitting right in front of me, and she expected me not to get angry? "Where the hell have you been?" I asked, my arms folded across my chest. My head was pounding with throbbing pain, but I ignored it and continued to glare at her.

Mom looked around anxiously, as if someone was listening in. Her figure became stiff, and out of nowhere she bolted to her feet and lunged towards me. I cringed away. I mean, the woman was obviously crazy. She grabbed my arm and pulled me to my feet. "Hurry child. These woods are not safe at night, especially for someone like you."

Killian nodded in agreement. "I have business to attend to, now that she knows," he said to my mother, his eyes showing her the hidden meaning that was lost to me. I wanted to question him, but with a flip of his long hair, he had disappeared in thin air.

My head swam with all the new information, my anger for my mother gone. It took too much work to be angry with her. I now knew that the fairy tales were true, at least bits and pieces of them. I also knew Killian was part of the Fae folk. That's why he couldn't go in cars and could disappear in a matter of seconds; he was Fae.

I let my mother lead me out of the forest. At the speed we were going, I was sure that we were going to trip over the humongous tree's roots, but, surprisingly mom knew just the places to place her feet as to avoid the roots. The music seemed to be the only thing lingering in my brain at the moment, most likely because of Killian's voice.

Once we arrived at home, it was nearly dawn. Mom bit her lower lip, hesitating on going inside. It seemed like a presence there was keeping her from walking over that door frame. Then I realized that dad must be home. I patted her on the arm awkwardly. I mean, what was I supposed to do, give her a hug? I hadn't seen her in thirteen years. She shot an appreciative smile in my direction and then took a deep breath. "Wait here. I need to speak to him," she told me, letting go of my arm and walking determinedly through the door.

I could hear the TV going on in the front room, and a few minutes later all I heard was silence when my dad muted the TV. Then a crash, and more silence. I bounced from each foot, nibbling on my lower lip anxiously as I waited for the yelling. I knew my dad was going to be pissed. When it didn't come, I was about to rush in there; maybe something was wrong. However, when I reached the door, I saw that mom and dad were in the kitchen, locked up in each other's embrace, both with tears running down their faces.

I grinned in extreme happiness; this is how I always wanted it to be, how I longed for it to be. Ever since I was six, I had fantasies about it being the three of us once again. The wind started up, and my hair whipped around my face. I shivered and pushed through the doorway, not being able to stand the cold any longer.

My dad turned to look at me; a wide grin wrinkled his lips as he smiled at me. He gestured to my mother in his arms, who buried her face into his chest; they had obviously missed each other. My dad nodded his head, indicating he wanted me to join the reuniting. I didn't waste time. I rushed over to them and wrapped my arms around the both of them.

Mom laughed, and all the birds in the vicinity burst out in chirping of their own songs. I shook my head, my laughter joining hers. We made music with our laughter; it was something that a normal human could hear. Dad soon joined in, and we all stood there, in the kitchen, letting out everything that had been bottled up for the years. All the tears, the pain, the guilt was released through our laughter.

"I've missed you both so much," my mother finally ceased to laugh and said with a serious expression splashed across her face. Her bangs fell into her eyes, but the flowers that were bound in her hair had survived both my father and my hugs and gleamed brightly against the darkness of her locks. "I'm sorry I couldn't have come to you sooner." Her gaze was cast downwards, and despite the fact my head was pounding uncomfortably and all I wanted was an Excedrin and sleep, I wanted to know answers first.

"Why did you leave?" I asked, my tone sounding slightly too bitter.

"Alea, don't-" my dad started, but my mother cut him off.

"She deserves to know. I was hoping to last another year, but John, she saw." My mother's eyes caught my father's, who lowered his head in defeat. "You won't lose her." She murmured quietly, brushing her palms against my father's face. "Now, why don't you rid your face of this silly hair, and I will speak with our daughter." She pressed her lips to my father's in a loving way and then pushed him out of the kitchen, and he went upstairs hesitantly.

"Mom, what are you both keeping from me?" I barely contained the red hot anger from my voice; the fact that they were lying to me angered me. I noticed fireflies lighting up the forest through the window behind Mom as I turned to look at her.

Mom sighed and extended her hand to the chair, and I sat as she, in turn, turned to the fridge and grabbed the gallon of milk out of the fridge. She poured herself a glass and then grabbed the sugar, pouring a hefty amount into the milk. I had always waved it away as a weird habit, but with everything that had gone on tonight, I wasn't so sure.

"I was just trying to keep you safe." My mom placed her glass on the table and sat gracefully down into the chair, her bright green eyes wide, as if she were struggling to hold back tears. I grunted in irritation; I had heard that one before, but by a person with an amazing singing voice and definitely not female.

"Keep me safe from what?" I said through gritted teeth, and then groaned as I rubbed my temples. Damn, my head hurt. My mom looked out the window for a moment, and then held out her hand.

"Let me see your head."

I shot her a weird look, but something about her facial expression told me not to disobey her. I'm guessing that I hit my head more seriously than I thought. I leaned my head against her warm palm, and felt the pain slowly ebb away from my head. Soon she took her hand away, and I looked up at her, my eyes round with amazement. "How did you do that?"

Mom took a quick drink of her sugary milk, wiping the rim of the glass with her fingertip and licking that away too. She shrugged her shoulders and emitted a sigh through her nose before speaking. "There's no easy way to tell you this, Alea, so I'm just going to come out and say this; I'm a queen, and not a normal queen either. Sweetheart, you saw with your own eyes what was out in those woods." When I looked at her skeptically, her thin eyebrows met in the middle in annoyance. "You weren't hallucinating child! You stumbled upon a Faerie Circle. And it was my council's Faerie Circle, the _Ríoga na Sí ciorcal._ I am the Queen of what mortals have many names for: Fae, Faerie, Fairy, and Sidhe are a few." She kept talking, but my head swam with the new information. So, my mom was something from the Celtic legends. No way, this was not happening to me. Wait, if she was Fae that meant I was half…

"Alea! Listen to me," My mom's voice snapped through my head, and I flinched horribly. I mumbled my apologies and she smiled slightly in forgiveness. "Tonight you were very lucky to have not stepped into that circle while you had Glamour on, else you would have been pray to the evil king of the Unseelie Court." My mother's voice started turning into a whine of distress, and I held my hands up. Too much information was being shoved into my face.

"Whoa, mom, please slow down. What's all this about a Glamour?" I asked, my head tilted to the side in confusion. I had heard about Glamour's in the old Celtic folklore's, but I had already had enough lies in my life; I didn't need my appearance to be one too.

"You don't really look like that." My mom loved to put things bluntly; I had heard that the _Sidhe _couldn't lie, but she didn't have to be that blunt about things. After a hard stare and a few blank ones from my mom, she finally caught on I didn't appreciate all this harsh news and grasped my hand in hers. "I'm sorry I've kept this from you, sweetheart. I had to. I wanted you to be able to decide. Since you're a Halfling, you get to decide which world you wish to live in. I was going to wait till you were an adult and could make wiser decisions, but your curiosity left me no choice but to improvise.

"If you would have waited one more year…" she paused, her expression thoughtful. She shook her head, waving whatever idea she had plotted up away, and continued the conversation. "See, I don't get to rule forever, just a certain number of years or when I die. The first is the usual outcome, because we don't pass to the void very easily."

I let my mom's words sink in. "We don't die?" I asked quietly, my father on my mind. He would die, but my mom would live for an eternity. My mom confirmed my fear, and my heart sank; she would be so sad. I couldn't even imagine what I would do if I lost Killian. "Will I eventually die?" I asked, not sure if I wanted to know the answer to my own question.

My mom bit her lower lip, and then said, "If you wish to continue living your human life, you will die whenever you choose to, or when your human heart fails. When you decide what path you take, the half of you will be locked away, always to remember but never to live on with you. If you decide to stay behind in the human world, you will live like a human. Choose your Fae side; you live on forever. You choose which on your eighteenth birthday."

I stared at her long and hard. "Can I see what you actually look like?" I finally asked. I wasn't stupid; I knew all I saw for the little time I've seen her was her Glamour.

She faltered for a long while, and then she nodded and her lids descended over her eyes. There was a wavering to her body, and then suddenly there was an unrecognizable person sitting across from me. She was a creature of inhuman beauty. I don't have words to describe the extent to her gorgeousness, but I could still see traits of my mother in her. She still had black hair, if not longer and extremely smooth and shiny. She continued to shine with internal light, and her eyes were still emerald colored. She was slightly taller and her frame was of perfect form. I gaped at her, my jaw dropping

She smiled at me, dazzling me with her perfectly white, straight teeth. The only thing that slightly creeped me out was the fact that her skin was blue. It wasn't an ugly dark blue or anything, but rather a very light, sky blue. It was both beautiful and alien at the same time. "What are you?" I breathed, staring at her with tears in my eyes. I can't believe this was my mom.

"Some incorrectly label us as mermaids, but we do not have fins, as you can see." She flailed one of her perfectly sculptured legs around to prove her point. "I am indeed a water nymph. We can breathe in both water and air, and I have translucent wings." She turned to the side and I could see a faint outline of a pair of wings, but mostly a bluish glow was present. I attempted to press my fingers to the wings, but they just passed through. "They're made of energy not understand by mortal lands or mortal eyes yet," Mother explained, and I nodded.

"So I'm half?" I asked. I had always known there was something different about me; the love for nature, the dreams that I've had ever since I was little about little flying creatures, and my inability to lie, it was all because I wasn't totally human. My mom hesitated again; and my heart sank. She was going to tell me she wasn't my real mother or something, I just knew it.

"Yes, you're a Halfling, like I said earlier." She assured me by pulling me into a hug; she now smelled like wild berries and spices. I must have misinterpreted her expression, because she didn't seem at all hesitant now. I sank into her hug and allowed the weariness to overcome me. "Sleep, child. You have a big day ahead of you tomorrow." I heard her voice, but I was already slipping into dreamland, so my response was muted. I wasn't exactly sure what tomorrow was going to bring, but tonight, I was going to dream about Killian, and nature and my life right now.


End file.
